Spindle for textile mill use



June 20, 1944. H. GLEITZ SPINDLE FOR TEXTILE MILL USE Filed Aug. 1, 1940 INVENTOR. #66 561 I? 7' 6 15/72 Patented June 20, 1944 2,351,951 I v SPINDL EFOR TEXTILE MILL USE' Herbert Gleitz, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, to

Marquette Metal Products Company, Cleve land, hio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 1, 1940, Serial No. 349,187

3 Claims. (01. 308-228) I simple and economical to manufacture and which can be operated at high speed for great lengths of time and withstand eccentric loading without destructive vibration. v

Another object is to simplify the construction of the bolster for a collar bearing equipped with anti-friction rollers and-to eliminate wearing of the collar bearing rollersand races.

Further objects include the provision of a novel resiliently acting support f1 foot step bearings of high speed spindles and an improved brake construction for spindles.

Other objects will become apparent from'the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated herewith.

Textile spindles have, in a sense, been overdeveloped and made more complex than they need to be to perform thework for which intended. Since the general adoption of anti-friction rollers for collar bearings of textile spindles a great deal of attention has been given the matter of reducing wear on and distortion ofrollers and roller races.

The bolster which is provided inside the bolster case for supporting the collar hearing has been allowed considerable freedom for lateral pivoting or wobbling movement relative to the fixed bolster case on the theory that such would allow the spindle to adjust itself relative to the efl'ective longitudinal center of mass under conditions of eccentric loading or eccentrically applied driving impulses, whereby to reduce localized wearing and wear-corrosionon the collar bearing. I have found that, by simplifying the construction, wear-corrosion can be greatly reduced if fnot entirely eliminated without allowing the bolster'any play or freeom of pivotal or gyrating movement in the bolster case, and that the collar bearing rollers and races will not be subject to distortion and wear re'gardless of speed within a reasonable range. v

- The improved and simplified construction hereof, notwithstanding that there is no provision for wobbling movement of-the spindle at the collar bearing, includes the provision of a foot step bearing for vthe spindle shaft. which latter permits limited universal horizontal move.- ment of the lower end of the shaft while normally resisting movement of said lower end outof concentricity with the bolster case. ,Yieldable-cenordinarily the permitted extent of movement-of the lower end of the shaft center-is much greater tering meansare common in'textile'spindles, but

than in the present construction wherein the permitted movement is less than suflicient to allow the working clearance between the elements of.-the collar bearingto be taken up by any possible wobbling movement of the spindle shaft. such ofi center movement is strongly resisted and preferably by forces which i'ncrease at a high rate in proportion to -the movement off center on part of the lower end of' the spindle shaft; The invention includes a specific improvement in that respect." predetermined relationship: between 'foot step bearingv movement and total radial: collarbearing element; clearance and, further, proper damping'resistance to Wobble or gyration of the lower end of the spindle shaft, the necessity for a floating collar bearing can be overcome. Consequently; one can eliminate ailarge percentage of the cost of high speed spindles and can eliminate wear-corrosion by substituting simply a fixed short roller race for theusual bearing-supporting bolster construction; greatly reducing total cost and, by the samemeans, addingcapaccases. a

The improvement in brakes for textile mill spindles presented herewith relates .to means whereby strong uniform braking'force can be apity forlubricating oil in standard size bolster plied to spindle shaft-assemblies nearly entirely around the same as at an inner circular surface of the whorl, the arrangement being simple to manufacture and assemble; such that no, eccentric force applied to the spindle shaft 'durin'g braking. and such that there'is no likelihooflcliof the, brake being applied except when desired bythe operator, whereupon he can apply adequate braking forcetinstantly to stop the spindle. Referring to the drawing,= Fig.- 1 is alongitudinal central sectional assemblyview-of a spindle embodying the principles ofthe invention-in one form; '2 isia relatively enlarged sectional detail view? of the 'rbolster and collar bearing portion offtheespindlerFig. 3 is across sectional view takenaat 3'3 "on Fig.' ly showinguthe brake By maintaining a Fig. 1, and Fig. '7 is a similar view of another form of footstep bearing.

In Fig. 1, the bolster case I has an upper tubular portion 2 containing the collar bearing assembly, a lower tubular portion 3 containing the footstep bearing 4 and lower end portion of the spindle shaft 5. The bobbin-supporting or free end portion I of the shaft projects upwardly from a driving whorl I which has a hub I fixed as by press fitting to the shaft at III. The lower part II of the whorl surrounds the portion 2 of the bolster case (free therefrom), and has a circular surface at I! for engaging a driving belt or band. Below the surface l2, the whorl has an enlarged rim or flange portion ll, the inner circular surface ll of which may constitute an internal braking face of a drum complementary to brake shoe members to be described later.

A flange I! of the bolster case projects outwardly below the lower rim of the whorl and is clamped against the top side of the usual fixed spindle rail R as by a nut iii engaging the lower side of the rail and threaded to the portion 3 of the bolster case. mounted on the flange l5 overhanging the lower portion l3 of the whorl. The hook can be swung outwardly from the position in which shown, in order to enable removal of the whorl and spindle shaft.

The spindle shaft is tapered upwardly from the whorl as usual; has a cylindrical portion II extending for some distance downwardly from A hook H is shown as which secure the bolster fixedly in the bolster case, for instance, by welding. A bearing cover,

best shown in Fig. 2, comprises a sleeve 32 which loosely receives the spindle shaft and has a narrow rim 38 in the same horizontal plane as the annular upper part 3| of the roller retainer and which limits upward travel of the rollers 28 to a very slight movement. Adequate clearance is providedbetween the retainer part II and said rim 3! as well as between the retainer and the bearing race surfaces so that the retainer can turn freely.

To hold the cover sleeve 32 and the bolster firmly in place, the 'cover sleeve has an external perimetral flange 35 between its ends bearing on a shoulder 38 of a shallow counterbore of the bolster, and a hollow conical nut 31 threaded shown, entering its conical face for enabling the the hub of the whorl for supporting engagement with the collar bearing, and the portion 0 is tapered downwardly to the footstep bearing where the shaft has a conical portion 2i within the footstep terminating in a thrust point 22.

The cylindrical portion Ill preferably serves as the inner race surface in respect to a set of rollers 25 contained in the bolster 20 and preferably bearing directly on the inner polished cylindrical surface thereof.

Referring especially to Fig. 2, the bolster 26 is a steel cup having a hole in the bottom larger than the spindle shaft portion which projects through it, and being circularly undercut as at 21 to form an oil reservoir for the rollers. The bolster is secured in a counterb'ore ll of the bolster case as will be hereinafter described.

The lower ends of the rollers 25 are supported a on the smooth inner rim wall of the oil reservoir provided by the undercut 2.1. A roller retainer and spacer 28 occupies the space horizontally between the race-forming inner wall surface of the bolster and the race portion 2| of the spindle shaft and which is unoccupied by the rollers. The retainer 28 has vertical paraliel bores 2! loosely receiving the rollers and intercepting its inner and outer peripheral surfaces. The retainer can be a bronze ring of well known form a which is separated into spaced fingers 29' by the bores 28 which extend upwardly from the bottom edge of the ring, leaving enough of the ring intact at the top thereof (at II) to support the fingers. The retainer ring has its inner and rigidly in place primarily by a press fit. There.

are, of course, other ways than that shown in nut to be screwed firmly into place.

Irrespective of the type of footstep bearing which is used, the amount of radial travel of it in any one direction is preferably limited to a distance approximately the same as or slightly greater than the total radial clearance tolerance between the bearing elements in a corresponding direction. This relationship prevents wear on the rollers and races in the event the footstep gyrates to its fullest possible extent during turning of the spindle while carrying an unbalanced load. Extreme movement of the footstep cannot cause the rollers to become wedged; yet the rollers are never loose, i. e. out of effective rolling contact with the inner and outer race surfaces through the lubricating oil film.

The fly-wheel or gyroscopic stabilizing action of the whorl may also be a factor in preventing destructive vibration from being transmitted to the bolster or collar bearing. Since the spinning whorl tends to hold the spindle shaft axis stationary just above the collar bearing the tendency for the shaft to wobble at the collar bearing is further reduced. Even when the footstep moves horizontally to its fullest possible extent the collar bearing stays cool, indicating that no more than normal pressure is being imposed on the rollers and races. The spindle shaft above the whorl evidently flexes sufiiciently to permit the bobbin to become dynamically balanced when actually somewhat eccentrically loaded.

The upper and lower portions of the shaft can be especially metallurgically treated so as to increase flexibility of the free end portion upwardly beyond the collar bearing and between the collar bearing and footstep bearing, while at the same time providing against a tendency for the shaft to crystallize at critical flexing points; e. g. adjacent the whorl and collar bearing. Theshaft is made veryhard in the region portions of the spindle shaft, the taper at ll being slightly more per inch than the taper of the adjacent part of the shaft, but the shaft and tapered hole being in close running fit at the lower-part. of the shaft portionil. To hold the body 40 of-the footstepbearing against turning.

- the body becomes displaced eccentrically of the bore of the bolster case occupied by it. A simple and effective means for accomplishing this is the provision of a plurality of spring wire arms 41 anchored to the body as-in holes 49 which diverge at a narrow angle relative to the body axis and with their free portions bearing on the bore surface of the case lengthwise of it. Thus the spring arms adjacent the anchored ends may project freely from the holes 49 which are inclined upwardly and outwardly at about 7 relative to the spindle shaftaxis, but a short distance from the points at which the arms extend from the holes the peripheral wall surface .of the bolster case engages the arms and presses them inwardly into approximately parallel relation to the shaft axis. The inwardly bent upper extremities 50 of the arms freely enter radial holes 5! in the body 40.

The original setting or adjustment of the springs is such that, in unstressed condition, the bent ends of the arms slightly enter the radial h'oles 6| thus guarding thesprings against becomingdamaged by handling before insertion of the footstep bearing into working position, and makingcertain that the bearing-centering portions of the spring arms will always be properly positioned. The bent ends are short enough so that they can never touch the spindle shaft, but when the arms are all pressed inwardly by the bolster case wall (see broken line position 50:, Fig. 6 of one of the I extremities 50) then the ends 50 can be engaged 49 continued as channels along the body 40 to the holes 61 thus providing receiving spaces for the free portions of the arms. As shown, however, the body is turned on a smaller diameter at 53 between shoulders 53a and 53b to afford the necessary free spaces for the spring arms. An oil hole is shown at 54 in the body 40 for maintaining oil in the socket for the thrust point of the spindle shaft.

The other form of footstep bearing, shown in Fig. 7, is similar to, the one just described except that in Fig, 7 radially guided spring pressed buttons 55 are provided yieldingly to center the bearing body 56 in the bolster case thereby to oppose gyration and vibration of the lower end of the spindle shaft. The springs 51 are short coil springs which are carefully calibrated to secure equal deflection or weigh on all the buttons. Three equally spaced spring buttons can be used approximately in the plane of the center of lateral pressure of the shaft on the body, or two rows below such center can be used. The buttons have proximately full.

of equally spaced buttons in planes above md oppositely extending flanges (not shown) .to prevent their becoming detached from the footstep. by thespring force. The springs can be simple coils, as shown, or compound coils so that, in the latter case, the effective force increases rapidly as deflection occurs. Groovefjli is for engagement with an expansible andcontractible extraction and inserting tool for the footstep bearing. For lubrication, a sumcient volume. of oil is poured into the top of the bolster case so that, when the spindle shaft is inserted, the space'below the collar bearing will be no more than ap- As the oil level recedes, enough 4 oil for lubrication of the 'collar bear-ing climbs voir groove 21 for distribution to the rollers the slightly tapered shaft portion 6; and, during idle periods, a supply is maintained in the resertheir race surfaces.

Referring to the brake, Figs. 1, 3 and 4, this, as shown, comprises two identical arcuate shoe members 66, adjacent ends of which lie on opposite sides of an upstanding end or arm 63 of an actuating lever 6|. The shoes are channel shaped in cross section so as to receive friction blocks 65 which may be relatively hard (e. 'g. pressed fibre) and held in place by cement or by pins 66 (one shown in Fig. 4) extending through aligned holes in the flange portions of the shoes and the friction material. The shoes are pressed inwardly by C-shaped spring wire snap rings 61 which lie in .grooves formed at the outer comer portions of the brake-material-receiving channel spaces. The rings maintain substantially equal pressure above and below the brake material and around the shoes, and are very easy to assemble into place. The actuating lever 64 is fulcrumed at a spherical portion of the lever lyingin a vertical socket 68 in the top of the flange l5 of the bolster case. The lever extends through a radial slot 69 in the flange (intercepting the socket). to one side of the case, and normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 1. A downwardly inclined arm 10 on the lever, by which the operator applies the brake as by inward pres-v sure thereon, is held normally in brake-releasing position by a leaf spring '|l secured as at I2 to the inner side of the arm 10 'and having an upwardly curved'free portion adapted to bear against the near edge of the rail R. The spring 1| prevents the weight of the lever .from stress- I ing the C-shaped springs outwardly, thus insuring that the brake will be inactive at all times except when a positive inward pressure is applied to the arm 10.

I claim: 1. A spindle comprising a bolster case, hearing means in the case, a shaft supported centrally of the case by the bearing means, a drum onthe shaft having an inner brake surface, a pair of brake shoe elements with external circular braking surfaces adjacent the drum, circular guides for the shoe elements whereby they can move outwardly toward and inwardly away from the.

stantial distance radially'inwardly from respectively adjacent braking surfaces of the shoes.

2. A spindle construction for textile mill use,

and v comprising a rigid tubular housing open at-the top and adapted and arranged to be moimted in nxed upri ht position as on a spindle rail, a spindle blade extending downwardly into the housing, a bolster bearing at the top of the housing comprising a series of vertical cylindrical rollers around the blade substantially in snug rolling contact therewith throughout the length of the rollers and similarly in snug rolling contact with a fixed cylindrical inner surface of the housing, said rollers being suiiiciently short relative to their diameters so that notwithstanding said rolling contact, the rollers establish a pivot center about which end portions of the blade can move laterally substantial distances without looking the rollers against tree rolling movement and a laterally floating iootstep bearing for the lower end of the blade in the lower part of the housing, together with means to limit the floating movement radially oil center on part of the lower end of the blade to an amount slightly greater than the total tolerance between the bolster bearing elements.

3. A spindle construction for textile mill use,

s,ssi,esi

comprising a rigid tubular housing open at the top and adapted and arranged to be mounted in fixed upright position as on a spindle rail, a spindle blade extending downwardly into the housing, a bolster bearing at the top of the housing comprising a series of vertical cylindrical rollers around the blade substantiallyin snug roiling contact therewith throughout the length 01' the rollers and similarly in snug rollingcon-.

pivot center aboutwhich end portions of the blade can move laterally substantial distances without looking the rollers against tree rolling movement, and a laterally floating i'ootstep bearing for the lower end of the blade in the lower housing. i

v HERBERT Glim'iz. 

